Powerful display by Yankees’ Judge
MIAMI — Aaron Judge said he felt no pressure entering Monday Night’s Home Run Derby at Marlins Park.
“I’m a rookie,” he said. “For me, I’ve got no expectations.”
Only results. What else to expect from the biggest bigleaguer with the biggest swing?
The 6-foot-7, 285-pound Yankee beat Minnesota’s Miguel Sano 11-10 in the final round to win the derby. In his second-round win over fellow rookie Cody Bellinger of the Dodgers, Judge hit a ball an estimated 513 feet.
Judge, who leads the majors with 30 homers, rallied for a 23-22 win over his firstround opponent, Miami’s Justin Bour, after hitting a ball off the retractable roof in batting practice.
“It was a blast,” Judge said. “I enjoyed every minute of it. Everything about today was fantastic.”
Judge has Bay Area connections. In 2010, he was drafted by the A’s in the 31st round out of Linden High School in San Joaquin County. As a kid, he emulated Giants shortstop Rich Aurilia’s swing.
The Yankees drafted Judge out of Fresno State 32nd overall in 2013.
He’s the first rookie to win the derby and genuinely seems like a kid as he soaks in the All-Star atmosphere. He ran into Giants catcher Buster Posey early Monday and made sure to say hello.
“He was walking into the clubhouse, and I had to stop him,” Judge said. “I said, ‘Buster, I’m a huge fan. It’s been fun watching what you’re doing.’ ”
Posey seems to be a fan of Judge, saying, “He moves well for being such a large human. It’s pretty incredible. I can’t remember, watching baseball growing up, seeing someone
“It was a blast. I enjoyed every minute of it. Everything about today was fantastic.” Aaron Judge, Yankees rookie
as big as him move as well as he does.” Or hit as well. “I was just going to go in there and have some fun and see what we could do tonight,” Judge said.